In today’s market does upgrading property still increase the value of your home?

I purchased my property in April ’08 for $112,000 including closing costs. The asking price was 124K.In the one year of owning this property, I have installed new windows all around ($8,500), complete new landscaping ($6,000), interior construction ($4,000), glass block windows in basement ($1,500) and installed an Overhead sewer and sump pump flood control system ($7,200).

Equaling a total of a little over $27,000. my concern is with me spending this money will this still help my property value in this market? Or am I throwing my money up a wild horses A#*?

In real estate, better to pay cash always or small loan OK?

I am blessed to have the option to buy a mere $20,000 house … or also, pre approved for a loan. I almost want this house that is $27,900 (after negotiations down from $37,900). I’m Bi Polar Manic Depressive. Might have seasonal affective disorder: We might “NEED” lots of south facing windows and sun rooms, and .. this house has great light in any direction! Sunset views in the living room and south facing as well (it’s on a corner), sunrise for breakfast in the kitchen! This is a rural country house with outrageous sq ft (too many for my use!) and awful high pricey propane heat, and

a septic that may need a $10,000 replacement SOMEDAY? MAYBE IN 30 yrs???? WHO KNOWS?

My point is:
Should I always go for the fixer upper at $20,000 or less? or should I go for the “small loan”? I will end up “wasting” the $20,000 0n home improvements, buying the empty lot next door (to increase the lot size), building a second bathroom, installing tile and fans in the bathroom, and a wood/pellet heat stove.(I dislike the forced air, I have dust allergies.) We can block off the upstairs for heat efficiency. Also, some landscaping and stone work . I know a guy who does landscaping, and family can help install the wood burning stove (with experience!). Also, we kind of need a car out in the country or, Grandpa will help us out a bit with the groceries and such for a while. So, I will put down the minimum 3% on the loan, not $20,000.

Is this OK? Is this wise?

Should I seek another house? I’m so tired of searching. I actually believe that the plumbing will function in this house, the roof looks OK, I will get the Septic and all things inspected by the authorized gentlemen.

Is it difficult to find a house in my price range and actually expect it to function???? we can totally camp out for the summer (not paying rent) at Grandpa’s house or our future fixer upper’s yard if we need to do so. Just for those 3-5 months, we could save maybe up to $10,000 to fix a roof or something! (income of $1,000 or $2,000 pure profit per month with no mortgage.)

THANK YOU for all your help!!!!!! I’m sorry to be a bother! I’m a bit naive about the whole real estate gig, I’m merely dabbling. This is my first home!
(Yippee! Obama tax credit! : )

What to do about a man harassing me and my child.?

It seemed like any other summer day last year when I met Nick. He came by my house because he was trying to start up his own landscaping company and wanted to know if I wanted to have some work done. He lives just around the corner and could give me a low price on work because he lived so close. I ended up hiring him to do some yard work over the course of the summer, I paid him in full for all work done. A friend of mine who had told me she new him and vouched for him saw the work he had done and said he didn’t do a very good job. I agreed with her and said that’s why I didn’t have him come back. This small comment set this man into a pychotic episode. My friend made comments and they got back to him is the just of it. He called me screaming saying I was “ruining” his name all over town. But he didn’t stop there. He drives by my house….. constantly. I live on a dead end street. He blasts down the road going 45 miles an hour. Tires squealing as he flies around the cul de sac. He saw me around the corner at store and floored his truck racing toward me and slammed his breaks on missing me by inches ( my 7 year old son was in the car) He hides behind this insane smile and waves and grins at me and laughs. To leave the neighborhood I have to go past his house – he is on a through street. One day he saw me coming and blocked the road and refused to move. Another time he floored his car and raced toward me like he was going to hit me head on. Most of these times my son was with me. He always smiles and waves and laughs like this is great fun for him. So this went on for months last year then it stopped… until yesterday.

It was a beautiful day I came home from work and opened all the windows. My son was outside playing with several other kids who live close by. Besides his group their must have been no less than 10 kids under the age of 10 outside playing in the front yards. Then I hear it, my heart stops at the sound of a truck speeding down the street, breaks squealing and a horn blaring. I drop everything and run outside… my son is right by the road and there goes Nick, In his truck waving and grinning like this is the biggest joke in the world .

Something in me snapped. I called Nick and told him to stay away from my child. I screamed and cursed and threatened everything under the sun. He was laughing as he said I was threatening him. I called the police and they said they would go talk to him but basically will do nothing. Its a classic stalker case. They always stay on the side of the law just barely. Whats worse is he has a wife and kids. Wonder how fun he thinks it would be if I floored my car at his wife and kids and came to a screeching halt inches from them.

So now the question, what would you do? Does anyone really believe he actually doesn’t believe these actions were threatening? One friend on mine said to stalk the stalker.

I have added the local police to my phone and I am going tomorrow to buy a gun for my home, which I never thought I would need to do.

This is all very strange to me. I live in a small community on the north side of Cincinnati people watch out for each other they help each other…. this guy is determined to make me move (which i can;t afford to do)